Nigeria Bureau of Public Procurement enforces new vehicle procurement rules

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has announced new restrictions to enforce the ‘Nigeria First’ policy, stating that government agencies are prohibited from purchasing vehicles from suppliers or manufacturers not registered by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC). Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the BPP, warned that bypassing these requirements constitutes a criminal offense subject to prosecution.

To support domestic production, the Public Procurement Act 2007 provides preferential treatment for locally manufactured goods, even if prices are slightly higher than imports. This initiative aims to foster partnerships between local firms and foreign manufacturers to enhance technology transfer and domestic capacity. Additionally, the Bank of Industry is expected to provide financing for the automotive sector through lower interest rates.

In a separate effort to reform public spending, the BPP is working to digitalize procurement processes and improve information access. Dr. Adedokun disclosed that the bureau is developing a contractor database to ensure companies possess the necessary capacity for awarded contracts, as well as a price intelligence mechanism to prevent inflated costs. The agency is also establishing a partnership framework with civil society organizations (CSOs) to enhance monitoring and transparency in public projects.